• The TUGBBS forums are completely free and open to the public and exist as the absolute best place for owners to get help and advice about their timeshares for more than 30 years!

    Join Tens of Thousands of other Owners just like you here to get any and all Timeshare questions answered 24 hours a day!
  • TUG started 30 years ago in October 1993 as a group of regular Timeshare owners just like you!

    Read about our 30th anniversary: Happy 30th Birthday TUG!
  • TUG has a YouTube Channel to produce weekly short informative videos on popular Timeshare topics!

    Free memberships for every 50 subscribers!

    Visit TUG on Youtube!
  • TUG has now saved timeshare owners more than $21,000,000 dollars just by finding us in time to rescind a new Timeshare purchase! A truly incredible milestone!

    Read more here: TUG saves owners more than $21 Million dollars
  • Sign up to get the TUG Newsletter for free!

    60,000+ subscribing owners! A weekly recap of the best Timeshare resort reviews and the most popular topics discussed by owners!
  • Our official "end my sales presentation early" T-shirts are available again! Also come with the option for a free membership extension with purchase to offset the cost!

    All T-shirt options here!
  • A few of the most common links here on the forums for newbies and guests!

Staying at Imperial of Waikiki

DaveNV

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 1, 2006
Messages
22,003
Reaction score
29,217
Points
1,348
Location
Mesquite, Nevada
Resorts Owned
Free Agent
Checked in today for our first time using our owner's week. If anyone has any questions I'll try and get some answers.

For the record, it's 75 and gorgeous here today. As we were flying in to land at HNL this afternoon there were several humpback whales visible from the jet window. They were maybe a mile offshore. Cool!

Dave
 

suzanne

Tug Review Crew: Rookie
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2005
Messages
1,694
Reaction score
44
Points
258
Location
Las Vegas, NV
I would love to have updated info on the resort along with photos of unit, building, etc. Are they units old and outdated, are they clean, any bugs, etc? Also what is it like outside around the entrance to the resort?

Suzanne
 

Margariet

Tug Review Crew: Rookie
TUG Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2011
Messages
832
Reaction score
1
Points
226
I would love to have updated info on the resort along with photos of unit, building, etc. Are they units old and outdated, are they clean, any bugs, etc? Also what is it like outside around the entrance to the resort?

Suzanne

We stayed last year a few days in the resort because of its central location. It's near the ocean, close to the big hotels and all the restaurants, We could only get a studio, which I would not recommend, because it was small with only a Murphy bed. The problem was that the studio was on a low floor and the balcony was fully covered to keep the sun out. It was so dark inside because the balcony was so deep. And we could not see outside! So no view, only traffic and street noise, and a dark room inside! But I guess bigger units on higher floors will be great. And it's so close to everything: you can walk everywhere.
 

slip

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Mar 5, 2011
Messages
11,136
Reaction score
14,566
Points
999
Location
U'alapue/Kaunakakai, Hawaii
Resorts Owned
Pono Kai, 20 wks; Maui Schooner, 1.5 wks; 1 week Ke Nani Kai; WaveCrest Condo, Molokai, HI
Dave

It's 28 degrees, cloudy and snowing here. Just plain crappy. Have a Mai Tai for
me and enjoy your first stay at the Imperial.:D
 

california-bighorn

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
1,126
Reaction score
2
Points
398
Location
Granite Bay, California
Dave
As we discussed a few months ago, the Imperial isn't the fanciest place, but, I think you will enjoy staying there as much as any of the more upscale timeshares. At least that's how we feel after 18 years of ownership there. You're going to find you are near everything and the staff can't be beat.
When you get a chance let us know what room you got. We used to like the Diamond Head side, but now, we like the Lewers Street side and checking out what's going on in plaza area and the Beach Walk.
Have a great time!!!!!
 

nygiants11991

TUG Member
Joined
May 11, 2007
Messages
719
Reaction score
3
Points
378
Location
California
Dave

We will be checking tomorrow, maybe we can have a drink in the owners lounge.

We have always enjoyed our time at the Imperial, as said before, it is not fancy, but my experiences have always been good.

--Shanna
 
Last edited:

carl2591

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2005
Messages
1,632
Reaction score
105
Points
423
Location
Raleigh NC
Resorts Owned
Joined TUG '96, Wyndham Grand Palms AKA, Presidential Villas at Plantation Resort, 3 bed lockout.
Imperial of Waikiki??

did a search on the TUG resort database and did not see a "Imperial of Waikiki" listed.

there was

Imperial Hawaii Vacation Club (2605)

Imperial Hawaii-World Wide Vacations Club (0961)

which one are you located in? I am guessing by the comments on it age the 0961 would be a good guess..?? :whoopie:

aloha
 

california-bighorn

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
1,126
Reaction score
2
Points
398
Location
Granite Bay, California
did a search on the TUG resort database and did not see a "Imperial of Waikiki" listed.

there was

Imperial Hawaii Vacation Club (2605)

Imperial Hawaii-World Wide Vacations Club (0961)

which one are you located in? I am guessing by the comments on it age the 0961 would be a good guess..?? :whoopie:

aloha

World Wide vacations Club sold their units (13 I think) and their parking spaces back to the Imperial about 2-3 years ago so now there is only the Imperial Hawaii Vacation Club although in our 18 years of ownership I've heard it called The Imperial", "The Imperial of Waikiki" and "The Imperial of Hawaii". It is resort 2605 with RCI.
 

Hornet441

TUG Member
Joined
Feb 28, 2006
Messages
136
Reaction score
22
Points
379
Location
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
BMWguynw and california-bighorn. We are staying there Feb 11-18 in a Palm unit. From a trader to Imperial owners, what is our chance of getting a high floor unit when checking in? Do we call a week or so before arrival or is there a trick?
 

california-bighorn

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
1,126
Reaction score
2
Points
398
Location
Granite Bay, California
Even as as owner it is hit and miss getting on one of the highest floors, but as a rule, owners are placed on the higher floors. Since check in is every day of the week, rooms are assigned on availability. Rooms are assigned at check in so the sooner you arrive on the day of check in the better chance you have of getting your request. As long as you are on one of the top 10 floors there isn't much difference. As an exchanger, I don't believe you will be keyed for entry into the owners lounge on the 26th floor, but, at least once, I would follow an owner in there just to see the view. There are also some great views from the rooftop pool area open to all. We will just miss you as we check in on the 26th of February.
 
Last edited:

nygiants11991

TUG Member
Joined
May 11, 2007
Messages
719
Reaction score
3
Points
378
Location
California
The best views are above the 19th floor and I have heard they try to give owners a high floor every other year to be fair. Last time we were here we had the 25th floor this time it wthe 15th. I would check on the owner lounge thing because I think when we rented here before we owned we had access
 

california-bighorn

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
1,126
Reaction score
2
Points
398
Location
Granite Bay, California
The best views are above the 19th floor and I have heard they try to give owners a high floor every other year to be fair. Last time we were here we had the 25th floor this time it wthe 15th. I would check on the owner lounge thing because I think when we rented here before we owned we had access

Since renters are considered to be guests of the owner, renters are given access to the Owner's Lounge. At least as of last year, exchangers don't get access.
 

DaveNV

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 1, 2006
Messages
22,003
Reaction score
29,217
Points
1,348
Location
Mesquite, Nevada
Resorts Owned
Free Agent
Checking back to update this thread. (We've been out and about most of the time we've been here. Imagine that! :D

We started in Palm unit 2011, a nice location on the 20th floor, with a good view on the Lewers Street side of the building. But the second day the sink cabinet developed a leak that was flooding out the place, and we asked to move to another room. They were willing to put us in another Palm unit up on the 25th floor, but since we have a friend with us, I asked about upgrading to a 2br unit, if they had one available. They did, so now we're in a 2br Hala unit on the 8th floor. It's a much nicer fit for us. (Nice enough that I'm considering trying to change my ownership from a Palm to a Hala unit. The 2br is a lot more spacious. The Palm is a snug fit for two, but was positively tight for three adults.)

The two units I've seen are both very clean, and in good repair (notwithstanding the leak in 2011.) I haven't seen any bugs anywhere. Beds are excellent. The 8th floor unit is in slightly better condition than the 20th floor unit. The desk clerk I talked with explained that everyone wants a view room, so the upper floors have much more use than lower floors, and show more wear and tear.

Now that I've been here a few days, the thing about the need to have a fancy view is that, for us, it is overrated in this location. The view from the top floors is really nice, but unless you're sitting on the lanai angled toward the water, the view is less important because about all you'll see is other high-rise buildings and a patch of blue water here and there. We also found the 20th floor was so high up, sitting on that open lanai was a bit vertigo-inducing. Our room on the 8th floor has a much more usable lanai, and the view is more in touch with the street. If we look between the two hotels across the street, we can see the water, so there is a peekaboo view even from this floor. If we want that amazing unrestricted view, the Owner's Lounge on the 26th floor is awesome, with views from all sides. And for the ultimate view, a short walk between those two hotels puts you right on the sand. (It literally is less than a five-minute walk to the beach from here.)

My overall impression of the Imperial so far is that it's a nice building in a fantastic location. It is a high-rise surrounded by other high-rises, but has some very nice neighbors. (President Obama is currently vacationing on this island, and he and his entourage came to have supper at Roy's restaurant, which is directly across the street from where I'm sitting.) Beach access is easy, the street is clean and safe, and I am perfectly at home here. I will gladly stay here again.

I have found the staff to be very accommodating, as long as you keep in mind this is a timeshare with hotel units, not just a timeshare. The rooms are smaller, compared with other timeshares where we've stayed, but it's an urban setting in a hugely popular vacation destination where land comes at a very premium price. For a building constructed in the 1970's, the Imperial is typical of its era, but is well-maintained and worth the cost. I know I'll enjoy my ownership here, and I can't wait to come back in six months for our next stay here.

For now, Hanauma Bay is calling my name. I'll catch up with everyone later! :)

Dave
 
Top